Carton opening device



Jan. 19, 1937. G. J. SCHMIDT CARTON OPENING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1933 a Shets-Sheet 1 Jan. 19, 1937. J SCHMIDT 2,067,986

CARTON OPENING DEVICE Filed 001:. 30, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 19, 1937. J, sc m 2,067,986

CARTON OPENING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1933 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 3 I'J'Z INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1937 CARTON OPENING. DEVICE Gottfried J. Schmidt, Pearl River, N. Y, minor to Container Opening Devices, Inc., New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application October 30, 1933, Serial No. 695,784

11 Claims.

This invention relates to cutting implements for use in slitting or opening filled and sealed cartons or the like, and more particularly to improvements in cutting implements for opening or slitting the filled and sealed carton and utilizing the edge and angularly related walls of the carton to guide acutting tool in a path therealong.

Cartons are usually constructed of corrugated cardboard of varying gages, or of fiber boarder,

accordance with the present invention, these pockets or channels are utilized as hereinafter pointed out. Corrugated cardboard lends'itseli? readily to right angle bending and the formation of substantially sharp rigid edges disposed in the planes of adjacent walls of the carton and suitable therewith for guiding a cutting tool in a straight path. Fiber board, however, requires scoring before it is susceptible to bending into right angle form and such scoring of fiber board results in the production of beaded or raised edges-of substantial cross section projecting beyond the planes of adjacent walls of the carton and which, in the-absence. of provision thereagainst. will frequently cause a cutting tool guidedalong said edges to travel in an irregular path and thus produce a ragged cut in the carton andunnecessary resistanceto the cutting or opening operation.

Incarton slitting or opening implements heretofore proposed, the blade has usually been mounted either to cut through and along the edge of the carton or to cut through a wall thereof in a path adjacent said edge. Patent No. 1,129,310 granted February 23, 1915, to A. I. Platt, and Patent No. 1,796,870 granted March 17, 1931, to F. E. Huhn, et al., disclose cutting implements of the type wherein the blade cuts through and along the edge of the carton. Patent No. 1,527,220, granted February 24, 1925, to H. A. Pyle, and Patent No. 1,908,851, granted May 16, 1933-, to R. M.

Lafever, et al., disclose cutting implements of the type wherein the blade cuts through and along the wall of the carton'adja'cent the edge thereof.

'In the types of cutting implements shown in these patents.- the blades frequently cut through the carton into the contents thereof, with resulting damageto said contents or to the blades, or both, and while attempts have heretogore been (cl. ao s) madeto overcome this difficulty, such attempts have been unsuccessful by reason of the fact that various methods, grades and thicknesses of cardboard or the like are employed in the manufacture of cartons, and when the cartons are sealed, it is impossible to determine accurately the thickness of the walls of the carton, or a setting of the blade of the cutting implement-that will insure against the damage aforesaid.

One object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting implement which insures that the blade will not cut into or damage the contents of the carton, regardless of the thickness of its walls or the material or methods employed in the manufacture of said carton.

' Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting implement with a blade which cuts through and along the carton and has a mounting such that the blade instead 'of cutting toward the contents of the carton, cuts toward and into the pocket or channel extending interiorly of the carton adj acent the edge or margin thereof. I

Another object of the present invention is'to provide a carton opening or slitting implement with a blade which 'cuts angularly in one direction through and along a wall of the carton and has a mounting such that the blade instead of cutting toward the contents of the carton, cuts angularly in another direction toward and into the pocket or channel extending along the edge or margin interiorlythereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting device which enables single edge or-double edge blades to be employed and in either case, provides a mounting therefor eliminating the possibility of damage to the carton contents or to the blade by holding the latter in position such that it cuts along the carton toward and into the pocket or channel disposed interiorly thereof adjacent its edge or margin.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting device which enables -a variety of single or double edge blades to be employed and in any case provides a blade mounting eliminating the possibility of the aforesaid damage by holding the blade in an angular position such that it cuts through a wall of the carton toward and into the pocket or channel disposed interiorly thereof adjacent its edge or margm v Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting device which provides a blade mounting insuring against damage to the blade or to the carton contents, while at the same time providing for adjustment of the blade in accordance with the thickness or type of material employed in the manufacture of the carton.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting device which embodies a blade holder and a blade formed with improved interlocking means arranged and constructed to adequately withstand the strain of the slitting or opening operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton openin or slitting implement which embodies a blade holder and a blade constructed and arranged to make a draw out in the carton and having interlocking means located and of configuration such as to adequately withstand the strain of making such a cut in the carton.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting device which forms beveled or angularly cut or slit edges in the carton material, thus providing a cover for the cut or slit carton which may be conveniently taped for reclosing and reuse and having great strength resulting from the rejoined beveled or angled edges.

Inthe application of Charles H. Grounds, Serial Number'694,462 filed October 20, 1933, it has been proposed to provide a carton opening or slitting implement suitable for operation on either corrugated cardboard cartons which have plain rigid edges substantially flush with adjacent walls thereof, or fiber board cartons which have beaded or raised edges of substantial cross section projecting beyond the planes of adjacent walls of the carton. Through the method of mounting the blade in the implement shown in said application, however, there is, on the one hand, the possibility that the blade, or the contents of the carton, or both, like in all other carton opening implements of the prior art, might be damaged during the cutting or opening operation. On the other hand, the cutting or open ing implement of said application is not formed for expeditious adjustment or replacement of both single and double edge blades, does not provide for use of both edges of a double edge blade to their full extent; and is not constructed to obtain these advantages and at the same time aflord an entirely convenient and completely efflcient blade carrier and hand grip portion.

Accordingly, another object of the present inbeaded or raised edges, and which implement will,

in either case, through novel mounting of the blade or cutter, avoid damage to the carton contents, or to the blade, by enabling the latter to out toward and into the pocket or channel formed interiorly of said carton along the edge or margin thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting implement that may be used with cartons having plain or beaded or projecting edges, and which in either case, through novel angular mounting of the blade, avoids damage to the carton contents, or to the blade or cutter, by enabling the latter to cut through a wall of the carton along the same toward and into the pocket or channel formed interiorly of said carton adjacent the edge or margin thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting implement which may be used with cartons having either plain or beaded edges, and has a blade carrier in the form of angularly related shoes and a hand grip portion so constructed and disposed as to apply equal pressure on adjacent walls of the carton.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting implement which may be used with cartons having either plain or beaded edges, and has a blade carrier in the form of angularly related shoes and a hand grip portion so constructed and disposed as to provide for irregularities in configuration of the carton edge and the adjacent walls and insure equal application of pressure to the latter during the slitting or cutting operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton opening or slitting implement which may be used with cartons having either plain or beaded edges, and has a blade carrier in the form of angularly related shoes with a hand grip portion resiliently connecting said shoes and so disposed as to not only afford the application ofequal pressure to adjacent walls of the carton, but also to afford a conveniently formed and located hand grip portion and a mounting for the cutter or slitter such that it will cut througha wall of the carton toward and into the pocket or channel formed interiorly of said carton adjacent the edge or margin thereof.

These and other objects of the present invention will 'appearfrom the following description,

and in order to more clearly understand said inventlon, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting implement constituting one embodiment of the present invention and illustrating the use thereof in connection with a fiber-board carton;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the cutting implement shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view of the cutting tool illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, showing the means for mounting said tool;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating the cutting tool arranged for operation in connection with a card-board carton of thinner gage than the fiber-board shown in Figs. 1 to 4;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the cutting tool arranged as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line l8 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views, respectively, of cooperating clamping members for mounting the cutting tool;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a bracket on which the cutting tool is mounted, and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings and more particutherefrom.

tion of a fiber boad carton and 2 the above mentioned beaded or raised edge extended along the margin of the carton and projecting outwardly This carton, in accordance with the usual practise, is made from a blank of the aforesaid material, which'blank is bent to form the walls of the carton and pockets or channels, such as indicated at 2, which extend interiorly of the carton in the edges or margins thereon In'accordance with the present invention, a tool carrier 2, shaped to span the edge of the carton and to be impelled by the hand of an operator along the latter, is formed anddisposed' to insure application of pressure equally to adjacent walls of the carton and at the same time provide a convenient and emcient hand grip portion and means whereby blades of various characteristics may be interchangeably mounted and adjusted, as desired.

Preferably the carrier 3 is formed from a single piece of resilient sheet metal stamped, rolled or otherwise shaped into a tubular hand grip portion. 4. The hand grip portion I has webs 5 spaced apart to provide an open channel or throat 6 therebetween for receiving the beaded or raised edge 2 of a fiber-board carton. The webs 5 have shoe members 1 and 8 extending at right angles to each other for sliding engagement with the adjacent angularly related walls of the carton which are located at opposite sides of the beaded or raised edge 2 of said carton. The webs 5 are of different widths, respectively, and disposed parallel with a line bisecting the angle formed by I the shoe members, to thereby facilitate pressing the latter uniformly against said walls of the by the operator, and the edges of the, shoe portions l and 8 are curved, as at l0,'to facilitate sliding thesame over the carton.

Extending inwardly from the shoe member I,

- through a suitable opening il in the latter, is a double edge cutting tool i2, preferably of the rectangular razor blade type. This cutting tool I2 is preferably mounted on the shoe member I in a plane inclined thereto at an angle approximately 50 degrees and the mounting of tool 12 is also such as to dispose said tool or itscutting edge diagonally of the member I at an oblique angle relative thereto. Mounting of the tool l2 as aforesaid enables it to make a draw out in the car-'- ton and at the same time extend into the pocket ting the carton material, which edges when re-' or channel 2? so that damage to the carton contents of said tool is prevented. Also the mounting of the tool i2 as'aforesaid, and cutting of the same into and along the carton, results in beveled or angled edges l2 at .the point of slitting or cutjoined by adhesively taping or otherwise securing them pmvide a great strength when it of the holder l8 and the tool 12, said. holder is clamped directly against the-ledge I4 and interlocked therewith by legs 28 to prevent turning of is desired to reclose and reuse said carton.

For these and other purposes which will pres ently appear, the, Shoe member 1' has secured upwardly and outwardly from the shoe 1 preferably at an angle of approximately 50 degrees.

Mounted on the ledge i4 is a tool holder l8 in the form of opposed upper and lower plates II and 20 respectively, adapted to clamp the tooll2 therebetween. The plates I! and 2| each have a slot 21 therein receiving the stud II, the slots 2| being elongated for a purpose presently apparent, and each plate having a tail piece 22 for manual manipulation thereof. Wing nut 22, on-

the stud II, serves to clamp the plates I! and 20 together and to the ledge l4. Spacing bosses 24 on the plate I! serve to prevent tilting of ment in an edgewlse direction.

The tool holder and the tool 12, are in accordance with the present invention, vertically adjustable axially of the stud- II to different positions and it will be clear that because of the angle of inclination of the stud II and tool l2, said holder and tool are thus advanced or re-v tracted, as the case may be relative to the wall of thecarton, so that by such adjustment the depth of penetration of the tool i2 may be varied as required for carton walls of different thicknesses. Since the stud i1 is inclined in the direction before described, it follows that-adjustment of the holder I8 and tool i2 axially thereof is effected in a line substantially parallel with aline. d-a bisecting the angle formed by the'shoe members I and 8. In this connection it is to be particularly noted that the holder i8 and the tool l2 of 'my invention are designated so that the penetrating corner or point :of'the tool i2 is moved by such adjustment substantially in a line. bisecting the angle formed by the shoe members 'I and 8 whereby said corner or point during a slitting operation travels or tracks in the pocket or channel 2' formed at the junction of adjacent walls of the carton interiorly thereof. 1

In Figs. 1 to 4 the holder l8 and the tool I2,

' pocket the tool i2 extends to clear the contents of the carton and thus prevent damage to said contents and said tool.

In the first mentioned position of adjustment the holder and. the tool about the stud FL, The legs 29 depend from the rear and side edges respectively, of the lower plate 20, one of saidlegs bearing against one side edge of, the ledge l4 and the others projecting through slots 30 formed in said ledge. Y In the secondmentioned position of adiustment of the holder i8, it is supported on the ledge II by the legs 29 which,

for thepurpose of interlocking the holder against turning movement in this position, arestepped,

as at 3|, to seat in countersunk sockets l2 ,suitably located in the ledge, it to receive said stepped edges in this higher retracted position of the holder i8.

' The cutting tool it is provided with substan-' edge for edge and end for end and one pair or theothercf the slots ilwillregisterwithand receive the pair of lugs 25. It will thin appear that through the provision and arrangement of the lugs 25 and the pairs of slots 38, either half of either edge of the cutting tool may be utilised, thus providing with a single blade, acutting implement or carton opening device that has four cutting edges and by use of'which the expenses of blade repairs or replacements are reducedtoaminimum. Itwillfurtherappear, that through the formation and relation of the lugs 25 and the slots 33, the strain and force exerted on the tool I 2 during the cutting operation is transmitted in angular directions to the longer sides of said lugs, and a more adequate and highly eflicient blade and holder interlocking means is thus provided.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 12 comprises a cutting implement particularly adapted for household purposes. In this embodiment of the invention a single edge cutting tool I is mounted on the shoe 3' of a carrier 3' in an inclined angular position such as occupied by the cutting tool II. The tool I,

to by a screw ll.

however, is clamped directly to the ledge 31 of an angle bracket 38 by a cap plate I! having depending edge flanges I engaging the front and rear edges of said ledge and secured there- It will appear that the present invention provides a carton opening or slitting implement a which instead of cutting through the carton toward the contents thereof, cuts through the car,- ton into the pocket or channel formed in the edge of said carton interiorly thereof, and thus prevents damage to the carton contents and the cutting tool. It will also appear that the form and location of the slot ii, and the construction and arrangement of the tool and the holder therefor, provide adjustment whereby said tool may cut through the carton into said pocket or channel as aforesaid, regardless of the thickness or type of material employed in the manufacture of the carton. Cutting into said pocket or channel as aforesaid, in accordance with the present disclosure, is accomplished by a tool having the described angular mounting, but it is to be expressly understood that the present invention is not limited to such angular tool mounting and that cutting through the carton into the pocket or channel thereof without cutting toward the carton contents may, in accordance with said invention and tool adjustment features thereof, be accomplished by a tool that is mounted on the shoe member in a plane at right angles theretoinsteadof in aplane atasmallerangle, or a greater angle.

It will also appear that the present invention provides a carton opening or slitting device which has all of the advantages incident to adaptability thereof for use in opening cartons having either plain or beaded edges, and in addition thereto,

the-advantages of cutting into the interior edge channel or pocket of the carton without cutting toward the carton contents and in addition thereto applying pressure .equally to adjacent sides ofthe carton during the cutting operation, and in addition thereto the repositioning, interchanging, and replacing of tools or blades, as desired, all with extremely convenient and simple operation and with resulting'high eiilciency of said device. I

It will also further appear that the present invention provides a carton opening or slitting device which form's beveled or angled edges in the carton material at the point of slitting or cutting thereof so that when said edges are rejoined by adhesively taping or otherwise securing them together, the angled relationship of the slit or cut edgesafl'ord great strength and ri idity.

The foregoing specification and the accompanying drawings disclose two embodiments of my invention and while these have been described and illustrated with more or less particularity, it

is to be expressly understood that said invention is not limited to said'embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the'appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a carton opening implement, a cuttingtool,and a' tool carrier including angularly related shoe members, said tool having a cutting end projecting from one shoe member and substantially' perpendicular to a line bisecting the angle of said members.

2. In a carton opening implement, a cutting blade, and a blade carrier including angularly related shoe members, said blade projecting from one shoe member and being adjustable thereon to different planes, said blade in one plane of adjustment being advanced with relation to said shoe member and in another plane of adjustment being retracted with relation to said shoe member and the adjustment of said blade from one planeto the other plane simultaneously effecting the advancement or retraction thereof as aforesaid.

3. In a-carton' opening implement, a cutting blade, and a blade carrier including angularly related shoe members, said blade projecting from one shoe member and being adjustable thereon toward and from said shoe member and to different planes, said adjustment toward and from said shoe member and to said difl'erent planes being effected simultaneously and on a line substantially parallel to a line bisecting the angle of said shoe members.

4 In a carton opening implement, a cutting tool ,and a tool carrier including angularly re.- lated shoe members adapted to slide along adjacent walls of the carton, said tool being adjustable on the carrier in vertical and lateral directions, said adjustments being effected on a line substantially parallel to a line bisecting the angle of said shoe members and said verticaladjustment simultaneously effecting said lateral ada device for cutting through a wall of the carton carton having a pocket or channel formed interiorly and a beaded or raised portion formed exteriorly thereof adjacent its edge, a carrier comprising angularly related shoe members spaced apart at the inner edges thereof to freely span the beaded or raised edge of the carton from wall to wall thereof and slidably engage said adjacent walls when moved therealong, and a cutting tool mounted on one of said shoe members so as to cut laterally therefrom through and along said carton and to be projected, into said pocket or channel.

8. In a carton opening device for opening a carton having a pocket or channel formed interiorly thereof adjacent its edge, a carrier comprising angularlyrelated shoe members spaced apart at the inner edges thereof said spacing permitting said shoes to span the beaded or raised edge of a carton and slidably engage adjacent walls thereof when moved therealong, a channelled hand grip portion connecting the shoe members and adapted to fit over the beaded or raised edge of the carton, and a cutting tool mounted on one of said shoe members so as to cut laterally therefrom into and along said carton into said pocket or channel.

9. In a carton opening implement for opening a carton having a pocket or channel formed interiorly thereof adjacent its edge, a cutting tool,

and a carrier comprising angularly related shoe members and a hand grip portion, the shoe members being adapted for engagement with and sliding movement along adjacent walls and an edge of said carton, and said cutting tool being mounted on one of said shoe members and extending upwardly in angular relation therewith so as to cut laterally therefrom through and along said carton into said pocket or channel.

10. In a carton opening implement, a cutting tool, a tool carrier including angularly related shoe members, one having an aperture therein, a bracket on the apertured shoe member and inclined downwardly from said aperture in a plane substantially at right angle to a line bisecting the angle formed by said shoe members, a stud on the bracket and perpendicular thereto, a tool holder on the bracket and supporting the tool in position to project through said aperture, said tool holder being adjustable axially and radially of said stud to different positions, and cooperating devices on the bracket and the tool holder for interlocking the latter with the former in said positions.

11. In a carton opening implement for opening a carton having a pocket or channel formed interiorly thereof extending outwardly from the apex of the angle formed by inner faces of adjacent walls of the carton, a tool carrier comprising angular shoes for sliding engagement with the outer walls of the carton, and a cutting tool mounted on one of said shoes and projecting laterally therefrom with its cutting edge at such a distance below the other of said shoes that it will out toward and into said pocket or channel.

GOTTFRIED J. SCHMIDT. 

